Earl the Monarch – Hold Ya Head (ft. Elan Noelle)

Hailing from Port Arthur, TX, hip hop artist Earl the Monarch released his first album in February of 2017 titled, Pain On the Rocks. He is slated to release a new album, This Will All Be a Memory, and one of the jams set to appear on it is “Hold Ya Head” (featuring Elan Noelle.) Producer LWilliams gives the track a clean, pro sound. Everything in the mix is right where it should be.

Earl the Monarch has a laid back, conversational delivery style and relatable persona. His lyrics are substantive and tell a story rather than relying on flash, ego and gimmickry. The video for Hold Ya Head (shot by Team Rich Visuals) provides context. The interesting thing about Hold Ya Head is it features Earl the Monarch confidently giving words of encouragement and helpful romantic advice to a depressed female over the telephone. At the end of the song though, he arrives outside her apartment only to find that she is opening the door for another man who has brought her flowers. He puts his head down briefly, and we realize that he too is going through a struggle and must hold his head up.

Earl the Monarch wisely defies a lot of hip hop stereotypes and cliches and in the process manages to make a genuine connection with the listener.